Borsh in Russia is a very common soup. You can find it in every restaurant and cafe. It originated in Ukraine. My mother always told me stories of how when her grandmother was making borsh, you can stick a spoon in it, and the spoon will stand.
Prepare the broth. Place the beef bones with 4,5 L water into a big pot over medium-high heat. Bring to boil. Once boiling add onion, salt and pepper and bay leaves. Allow to boil for a couple of minutes.
Once the pot is on the stove, prepare the vegetables. In a medium bowl peel and cut potatoes into cubes. In another bowl peel and shred (on a small shredder) the carrots. Into the same bowl add washed, deseeded and shredded (on the large shredder) bell pepper.
In a medium bowl cut the cabbage, as thinly as possible.
When the broth started boiling and the spices (see step 1) have been added, add the peeled beetroot and the cubed beef pieces. Allow to boil for about 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes passed, take out the beetroot from the boiling broth. Cut into quarters (careful its really hot), and set aside to cool. Add the potatoes to the broth and allow to boil for about 10 minutes.
While the potatoes are boiling, shred the cooled beetroot on the small shredder.
In a frying pan, add the oil, carrots, bell pepper and beetroot. On a medium heat fry the vegetables for a few minutes. Set aside.
After potatoes have been boiling for about 10 minutes, add the cabbage to the pot.
When cabbage has been boiling for about 10 minutes, add the fried vegetables (carrots, bell pepper and beetroot) to the pot and bring to boil. Boil for about 1-2 minutes and remove from heat.
Let the soup stand for about 15 minutes before serving. Serve with sour cream and parsley – optional, but goes really well.
Russian Borsh (Beetroot soup)
Equipment
- Large pot
- Frying Pan
- Mixing bowls
Ingredients
For beef broth:
- 4,5 Liter Water
- 500 g Beef bones for soup
- 1 whole Large white onion, peeled (whole)
- 2-3 Bay leaves
- 30 g Salt (add 20 g and taste, add more if needed )
- 6-7 whole Black peppers (not ground)
For borsh:
- 4,5 Liter Beef broth
- 500 g Beef, cut into cubes (I used beef for soup/roast)
- 700 g Potatoes (about 8 medium sized)
- 200 g Carrots (about 3 medium sized)
- 200 g Bell peppers (or 1 large one, I used red one)
- 500 g Beetroot (about 2 medium sized)
- 500 g White cabbage
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 1-2 Tablespoons Oil
Instructions
- Prepare the broth. Place the beef bones with 4,5 L water into a big pot over medium-high heat. Bring to boil. Once boiling add onion, salt and pepper and bay leaves. Allow to boil for a couple of minutes.
- Once the pot is on the stove, prepare the vegetables. In a medium bowl peel and cut potatoes into cubes.
- In another bowl peel and shred (on a small shredder) the carrots. Into the same bowl add washed, deseeded and shredded (on the large shredder) bell pepper.
- In a medium bowl cut the cabbage, as thinly as possible.
- Peel the beetroot, but do no cut it just yet!
- When the broth started boiling and the spices (see step 1) have been added, add the peeled beetroot and the cubed beef pieces. Allow to boil for about 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes passed, take out the beetroot from the boiling broth. Cut into quarters (careful its really hot), and set aside to cool (you can put them in the fridge for 10 min, or in the freezer for a couple of minutes). You will use them later (you can also take out the onion from the broth, it's not needed anymore).
- Add the potatoes to the broth and allow to boil for about 10 minutes.
- While the potatoes are boiling, shred the cooled beetroot on the small shredder.
- After potatoes have been boiling for about 10 minutes, add the cabbage to the pot.
- In a frying pan, add the oil, carrots, bell pepper and beetroot. On a medium heat fry the vegetables for a few minutes. Set aside.
- When cabbage has been boiling for about 10 minutes, add the fried vegetables (carrots, bell pepper and beetroot) to the pot and bring to boil. Boil for about 1-2 minutes and remove from heat.
- Let the soup stand for about 15 minutes before serving. Serve with sour cream and parsley – optional, but goes really well.
